Sliding door mounting



Oct. 10, 1950 E. E. MARTIN 2,525,143

SLIDING DOOR MOUNTING Filed Feb. 8, 1947 179191112371. 1 14271 /0INVENTOR.

fifTOiP/YEY Patented oct. 10, 1950 mesne assignments, to Acme- ApplianceMfg. 00., Pasadena, Calif., a .co'rpora'tionof Calii fornia ApplicationFebruary s, 1947, serial No. 727,457

12 Claims.

This invention has to-do with improvements in sliding door overheadmountings or suspensions of the general type employing hangers adaptedto travel tracks overlying the door openings and having means forattachment to the top edge of the doors. The invention is particularlydirected to improvements in the types of hangers and attachments wherebythe door connections may be made through interengagement of theattachment parts-bybodily movement of the door within its opening andrelative to the hangers.

Hereto-fore sliding doors, particularly as installed in housesand forwhich purpose the invention'is especially adapted, have been mounted bytypes of hangers requiring lateral movement of the door into its openingwhile positioned parallel to the plane of the opening, in order toeffect interengagement of the hangers with the door-carried brackets.The use of such hangers results in the inconvenience o'f-having tomanipulate the door with little clearance from the sides of its openingas the door approaches the position at which it'can be engag'ed by thehangers.

One of my major objects is to provide an improved type of suspensionhaving over prior expedients various advantages, outstanding among whichis the greater facility with which the door may be secured to thehangers. Specifically, the invention is characterized in this respect bythe fact that the suspension connection can be effected by manipulationof the door in an open position facilitating access to and observationof the hanger parts to be engaged, and canbe completed withthe door inclosed but pre-supported position. j

The invention further contemplates a novel form of hanger characterizedby its self-locking relation with the door-carried part or keeper, andparticularly by its capacity for effecting the door suspension byvertical movement of the door to engage the hanger parts. Specificallycontemplated is a latch type :hanger carrying one or more latch elementsengageable with a keeper part applied to the top edge of the door. Afurther object of the invention 'is to obviate the difiicultiesencountered in the use of conventional door hangers of the present type,caused by the tendencies of the hanger rollers to bind and jump alongthe track in the manner characteristic of rollers used singly or in theusual pair arrangement. In accordance with the invention,

I employ a stabilized roller assembly to ride between parallel tracks,at least one of which is traveled by a pair of rollers in tandemarrangeinen't preventing the binding and jumping tendencies mentioned.

The invention has variousaddi'tional features and objects, such'asvarious improvements adapting the hanger for simple and economical andyet-sturdyconstruction, all of which will be understood more clearly andto better advantage from the following detailed description of anillustrativeembodiment-of the invention shown by the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. '1 is a 'per'sp'ective view showing the door in'ope'n position forattachmentto a first hanger; I

' "Fig. 2 illustrates the-door position after connec'tion'with a secondhanger;

Fig. 3 "is an enlarged fragmentarycross-section taken through the doorheader and track assembly, showing the hanger engaged with thedoorcarried keeper;

Fig. 4 is aside-"elevation of the hanger; and

Fig. '5 is a erspective view of the keeper.

Referring first to Fig-'3, the sliding door I0 is shown to be-receivedwithin its wall opening ll for displ'ac'ement into'and out of the wallrecess I2'atone-side of the opening. Extending across the top of thedoor opening is a 'headengenerally indicated at l3, to the bottom sidesof which is applied 'the usual plaster strips l4 below the usual plastercoat 15. The door trim or molding l5 overlies the strips I4 and plastercoat substantially as shown. "The header 13 comprises a pair of sectionsl1 and I8 between which is placed a spacer strip Hi the thickness ofwhich may be predetermined to give any desired overall header width, andspacing'betw'een the lower vertical faces Hand-21. The sections I1 andI8 contain opposed recesses '22 defined by downwardly and outwardlyinclined surfaces 23, and the lower downwardly and inwardly inclinedsurfaces 24 which form smooth parallel and spaced tracks for the hangerrollers.

The top surface Ina of the door carries a pair of spaced keepers 25, seeFig. 5 each consisting of a bracket 26 having terminal flangescontaining the screw openings 21, and an intermediate up "se t portion28. The keeper proper lllhas a centralopening 30 and carries aprojection 31 extending through the bracket portion 28, the keeper andits projection being rotatable as and for the purposes later explained.Each ihan'ger 32, see Fig. 4, is given a construction particularlyadaptable to formation of its parts as simple stampings. In itspreferred form, the hanger comprises a vertically extending sheet metalbody 33, having a pair of ears 3'4-defiected or bent laterally in onedirection,

and an intermediate ear 35 symmetrically defiected in an oppositedirection. Ears 34 carry a pair of rollers 36 rotatable on pins 31secured to the ears. Ear 35 similarly carries a roller 38 rotatable onthe ear-supported pin 39. The rollers preferably have cylindricalsurfaces. The angularity of the-ears with relation to the verticalportion of the hanger body '33, is such that the roller axes areparallel the track surfaces 24.

It will be observed that each hanger has at least one pair of rollerstraveling the same track surface in tandem arrangement. .As previouslyindicated this feature is of considerable importance in that itovercomes the common tendency of the ordinary rollers and hangers ofthis type, to bind and jump along the track, and in so doing to damageeither or both the rollers and the track surfaces, as the door isdisplaced along the track. Where, for example, hangers employ a singlepair of directly opposed or co-axial rollers and the hanger body ispermitted to rock, sudden movement of the doortends to cause the rollersto lag and bind on the track surface, and then suddenly to release andjump ahead with resultant impact. The present roller arrangementobviates this condition inthat the tandem relation of the rollers .36stabilizes and assures progressive smooth advancement of all the rollersalong the track. 1 H 7 Referring again to Fig. 4, the bottom portion ofthe bod plate 33 contains a recess 40 defined by the upwardly andinwardly converging guide surfaces 4| which form a throat for receivingand guiding the top of the keeper 29 into the top of the recess. Thekeeper is retained therein by a pair of latch elements 42 pivoted atopposite sides of the body on pin 43. As ilustrated, elements 42 arehook shaped to provide each with a keeper-receiving recess 44 and aprojection 45 to enter the keeper opening 30 and overlie its top bridgein the latched condition of the parts. Each element 42 has an inclinedbottom edge 46 which when engaged by the keeper as it is moved upwardly,cams the element in a direction permitting its projection 45 to enterthe keeper opening 36. It will be observed that the cam surfaces 46 onthe two elements are so related as to intersect, as they are'viewed inFig. 4. Accordingly, when moved upward for retention by the latchelements, the keeper will be engaged against the surfaces 16 at 4? todeflect them in opposite directions and cause their projections 45ultimately to swing back into the opening 30.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the door may be connectedto its suspension mountings by any procedure permitting the keepers 29to be thrust vertically into engagement with the latch elements.However, as previously indicated, the invention affords a particularconvenience in mounting the door, by reason that the first hangerconnection maybe effected, and the door initially supported, with thedoor in an open position free of any interference by the wall. Thus asindicated in Fig.1, the door installation may be started with the doorin such open position as will permit the workman to stand in or near theopening I l, and lift the door by grasping its edges free from the sidesof the opening. For this purpose, the keeper 29 first to be engaged, maybe turned in its bracket to a'position paralleling the door, and inwhich position the keeper will be received between the locking elementsof one of the hangers. After the engagement is effected, the door may beturned into its open 4 ing and the second keeper 29 elevated intointerlocked relation with the second hanger. As illustrated by Fig. 2connection with the second hanger may be made after the door is thrustpartially into the wall recess 12, leaving space at 50 for the workmanto stand directly within the door opening while engaging the secondhanger.

I claim: 1. A suspension for sliding doors, comprising a roller hangerbody adapted to move along a track above the door opening, a keeper tobe carried by the top of the door, and a keeper-engaging substantiallyhook-shaped latching element pivotally carried by said body, saidelement being pivotally displaceable in one direction by engagement bythe keeper upon vertical upward movement of the keeper against theelement, and the element then having reverse gravitational swingingmovement into holding and suspending engagement with the keeper.

2. A suspension for sliding doors comprising a roller hanger bodyadapted to move along atrack above the door opening, a keeper to beattached to the top of the door and including an upstanding elementcontaining anopening and pivotally movable about a vertical axis, apivot carried by said body, a pair of substantially hook-shaped latchesdepending from said pivot and adapted to receive said keeperelement'between them, said latches being movable apart bythe keeperelementand then being movable reversely into said opening and thereforeholding and suspending engagement with the keeper element.

3. A suspension for sliding doors, comprising a hanger body adapted tomove along and between a pair of horizontally opposed track surfacesabove the door opening, said hanger body depending below said tracksurfaces, a pair of spaced rollers carried by the body in tandemrelation to ride one of said track surfaces, a third roller to ride theother track surface, and carried by the body horizontally opposite andin inwardly ofiset relation to the rollersof said pair, and meanscarried by the lower portion of said body to be connected to the top ofthe door.

4. A suspension for sliding doors, comprising a hanger body adapted tomove along and between a pair of horizontally opposed track surfacesabove the door opening, said hanger body depending below said tracksurfaces, a pair of spaced rollers carried by the bodyin tandem relationto ride one of said track surfaces, a third roller to ride the othertrack surface, and car'- ried by the body horizontally opposite and ininwardly offset relation to the rollers of said pair, and means carriedby .the lower portion of said body to be connected to the top of thedoor, the axes of said rollers being inclined inwardly of the body.

5. A suspension for sliding doors, comprising a hanger body adapted tomove alon and between a pair of horizontally opposed track surfacesabove the door opening, said hanger body depending below said tracksurfaces, a pair of spaced rollers carried by the body in tandemrelation to ride one of said track surfaces, a third roller to ride theother track surface, and carried by the body horizontally opposite andin inwardly offset relation to the rollers of said pair, and meanscarried by the lower portion of said body to be connected to the top ofthe door, said third roller being positioned to extend in the; spacebetween the rollers of said pair.

6. A suspension for sliding doors, comprising a hanger body adapted tomove along and between a pair of downwardly and inwardly inclined tracksurfaces above the door opening, said body including a verticallyextending sheet metal member having a pair of integral ears extendingoutwardly and upwardly at one side of the body and an ear extendingoutwardly and upwardly at the other side of the body, a roller carriedby each of said ears to ride said track surfaces, and means carried bythe lower portion of said member to be connected to the top of the door.

7. A suspension for sliding doors, comp-rising a hanger body adapted tomove along and between a pair of downwardly and inwardly inclined tracksurfaces above the door opening, said body including a verticallyextending sheet metal member having a pair of integral ears extendingoutwardly and upwardly at one side of the body and an ear extendingoutwardly and upwardly at the other side of the body,.a roller carriedby each of said ears to ride said track surfaces, and a pivoted latchelement carried by the lower portion of said member for engagement witha door-carried keeper.

8. A suspension for sliding doors, comprising a hanger body adapted tomove along and between a pair of downwardly and inwardly inclined tracksurfaces above the door opening, said body including a verticallyextending sheet metal member having a pair of integral ears extendingoutwardly and upwardly at one side of the body and an ear extendingoutwardly and upwardly at the other side of the body, a roller carriedby each of said ears to ride said track surfaces, the lower portion ofsaid member containing a keeper-receiving recess, and a movablelatchelement to lock the keeper in said recess.

9. A suspension for sliding doors, comprising a hanger body adapted tomove along and between a pair of downwardly and inwardly inclined tracksurfaces above the door opening, said hanger including a verticallyextending sheet metal member having a pair of integral ears extendingoutwardly and upwardly atone side of the body and an ear extendingoutwardly and upwardly at the other side of the body, a roller carriedby each of said ears to ride said track surfaces, the lower portion ofsaid member containing a V-shaped keeper-receiving recess, and a pair oflatch hooks pivoted to the member at opposite sides of said recess andengageable with a door-carried keeper to lock the keeper in said recess.

10. A suspension for sliding doors, comprising a roller hanger bodyadapted to move along a track above the door opening, a keeper formed ofrigid material separately from and attachable to the top of the door,and latch means including an element formed separately from and carriedby the body and displaceable relative thereto by engagement by saidkeeper upon vertical upward movement of the keeper against the latchmeans, said latch means being selfoperable to reversely move saidelement from its said displacement into holding and suspend-v ingrelation with the keeper in which said element and keeper areinterengaged at surfaces thereof so disposed as to positively lock thekeeper against downward release from the element, the keeper beingdisengageable from the latch element only by manual release of the latchmeans.

11. A suspension for sliding doors comprising a roller hanger bodyadapted to move along a track above the door opening, a keeper formed ofrigid material separately from and attachable to the top of the door,and latch means including an element formed separately from and carriedby the body and displaceable relative thereto in one direction byengagement by said keeper upon vertical upward movement of the keeperagainst the latch means, said latch element then being movable in anopposite direction into holding and suspending relation with the keeperin which said element and keeper are interengaged at surfaces thereof sodisposed as to positively lock the keeper against downward release fromthe element, and guide means associated with the body for guiding saidkeeper into latched engagement with said element.

12. A suspension for sliding doors, comprising a roller hanger bodyadapted to move along a track above the door opening, a keeper formed ofrigid material separately from and attachable to the top of the door,and a pair of latch elements formed separately from the body and movablycarried thereby, said elements being adapted to receive the keeperbetween them upon vertical upward movement of the keeper, said elementsbeing movable apart by engagement with the keeper and said latch meansbeing self operable to reversely move said elements into holding andsuspending relation with the keeper in which said elements and keeperare interengaged at surfaces so disposed as to positively lock thekeeper against downward release from the elements, said keeper beingdisengageable from the latch elements only by manual release of thelatch means.

EARNEST E. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 615,009 Bennett et al. Nov. 29,1898 941,664 Thompson Nov. 30, 1909 1,066,458 Wagner July 1, 19131,930,379 Bennett Oct. 10, 1933 2,230,615 Dick Feb. 4, 1941 2,293,841Long Aug. 25, 1942 2,386,510 Sharer Oct. 9, 1945 2,446,887 Shearer Aug.10, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 154,106 Austria Aug. 25,1938 604,1?1 Germany Sept. 2'7, 1934

